


Archer's Academy

by Jajanken9



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Archery, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Original Character(s), Politics, Swords, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:21:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28166160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jajanken9/pseuds/Jajanken9
Summary: Alyssa Ynova, a 19 year old archer, trains to become a master marksman. She fights on the side of her new nation, Valyrium, defending against the Wyvern threat that has been ravaging the land of Sinestra.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. The Academy

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really happy to be finally publishing Archer's Academy. It's a story I've had the concept, lore and characters planned out for over a year now, so finally publishing it is kind of a huge step for me. I'm going to try my very best to update this weekly, but no promises. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you continue to follow Alyssa's journey!

The ear-piercing sound of the bells rung throughout the entire academy.

_This has to be some sick fucking joke. How could this happen now, how could this happen here?_

She could hear the screams all across the campus, she smelled the ash, and saw the destruction all around her. The Wyverns, they were here. A million thoughts raced through Alyssa's head simultaneously. Yet they all linked back to one, singular word, she knew what she had to do: fight.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two doors. Those two massive doors loomed in front of her. Physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted, she unconsciously continued to move forward on that long, long line. 

"Name?"

The guard's abrupt question was enough to knock her out of her daze of confusion.

"Alyssa Ynova"

The guard quickly checked his list.

"You can pass"

And just like that, she was there, those two gigantic doors were now within arm's lengths. They were the gates to the Valyrium Academy for Archery, and with both unresolved anxieties and unrelenting bravery, Alyssa finally walked through them.

What immediately struck Alyssa about the academy was just how basic it all was. It was a very traditional academy; there were classrooms, mess halls, dormitories; everything an academy should have, but nothing more than the essentials.

"Yep, that's a Valyrium-run school for you" Alyssa muttered under her breath.

Of course, there was one big exception to this simplicity that stood right in front of her face: a gigantic field. Here she saw a training yard, a gym, a crafts tent, even an entire armory. These were all made with one sole purpose: to train the next generation of Valyrium knights. 

_This is my new life now, isn't i-_

"Um hi, excuse me? What's your name?" a man asked, interrupting her train of thought

He was an older man, he had to be in his forties at least.

_Definitely a faculty member._

Alyssa sighed. 

"Alyssa Ynova, why do you need to know?"

The man started to fumble through a couple of folders before pulling out a file with her name on it.

"Got it!" he said.

The man then rummaged through some drawers before pulling out a small metallic key and a piece of paper.

"Here Ms. Ynova, this is the key to your dorm room, which is number 327, as well as your class schedule"

Alyssa grabbed both items, staring at them briefly.

"Thanks..." she muttered as she began to walk away.

"Don't forget to go to the mess hall! Grab some food and sleep before your big first day tomorrow!" the faculty member yelled out to her.

Alyssa heard him, but didn't really care. All she wanted to do was just go lie down and sleep. There was one thought in her mind. There was just one thing that was driving her forward in that moment: sleep.

"Time to find the dorm roo-" Alyssa began to say before her stomach's rumbling disrupted her.

Alyssa groaned. "Fine, I guess I'll have _one_ meal" she said defeatedly. 

Noisy. Crowded. A scent permeating through the air that wasn't _totally_ gross but definitely wasn't pleasing to the nose either. These were Alyssa's immediate observations upon entering the bustling mess hall. She felt like every single student in the academy was here considering just how insanely busy it was.

Alyssa groaned. She hated that; she wasn't in a great mood today and all the noise certainly wasn't helping.

Regardless, she picked up a tray and got on line for her food. After what felt like an eternity to her, the cafeteria lady silently chucked the meal onto her tray. Alyssa walked away with her food not saying a single word either.

She sat down at the corner of the table towards the back of the hall. It was the quietest spot she could find. Finally looking down at her meal, Alyssa was honestly unsure of what exactly was even being served to her. 

"Deer meat, maybe?" Alyssa questioned to herself.

"Boar, to be exact, the difference is obvious".

Alyssa quickly turned around to see who was behind her. She saw a tall man with blonde hair and a small, but noticeable, birthmark at the tip of his chin. She had barely gotten a look at him before he sat down right next to her.

"Uh...hi?" Alyssa said half confused and half insulted.

The man began to open his mouth before closing it again. He looked bewildered.

"Do you seriously not know who I am?" the man asked aggressively while clicking his tongue.

Alyssa rolled her eyes.

_Another guy with a completely unchecked ego_.

She'd seen his type before.

"I don't, sorry...I guess" Alyssa said uncaringly.

The man was visibly offended for a few seconds before his face began to soften.

"Ahhh okay, you must be new here. A new recruit, huh. You look about sixteen, maybe seventee-" the man asked, his words dripping with sarcasm.

" _Eighteen_ " Alyssa interjected, clearly annoyed by the comment.

"Don't give me that shit. You're definitely in your twenties and I can tell you've been here awhile. You have to be at least eighteen to enroll here. I don't know who the fuck you are or what you want from me, but I'm not gonna let you walk all over me. That might slide with the rest of the jackasses here but it's not going to with me...got it?"

The man snickered and smirked.

"Oh, don't you worry, you'll get to know me _real_ soon, bye-bye now"

The man got up and left, but didn't forget to blow a kiss on his way out, heading towards a different corner of the hall.

Alyssa was now not just exhausted, but also frustrated and confused. She wasn't expecting her new life to be great right away, but she hardly expected an interaction like that this suddenly. She ate her food as quickly as she could, left the mess hall and finally headed to her dorm room. 

After locking the door behind her, Alyssa took a brief look around her room. It was just one bed with some basic furniture nearby plus a bathroom that had a shower, which did take her by surprise.

She gave a faint smile.

"It'll do"

She chucked her belongings on the table and immediately collapsed on her bed. Alyssa stared outside the window for a few moments, contemplating everything that led her to this moment, before finally falling asleep.

"Alyssa...I _have_ to go, you know that"

"But you DON'T" Alyssa cried out.

"The war with Drazniak will never end and you know it"

"Even so I-"

"You WHAT, dad?"

"Do you have _any_ idea what Bysteria will do to us if I don't go!?" her dad said, growing increasingly frustrated.

"Screw Bysteria, screw Drazniak, fuck it all to hell. We can get out of here. We can flee from this meaningless conflict. Let's go to Val-"

"Valyrium? We'd be dead there too, those creatures..they wreak havoc across their entire nation" her dad somberly stated. 

"Alyssa don't you see? This is the only way. I have to do this"

There was a cold, uncomfortable silence that followed.

"...You'll die" Alyssa said, turning her back to her father.

"I'll be bac-"

"You won't, you're terrible with a sword and even worse with a bow, you'd only be heading for your grave"

He didn't respond. He picked up his things and began to walk out the door. Alyssa sprinted to him and grabbed his arm. Tears began to well in her eyes.

"Please...dad"

Shedding a single tear, he gave one final piece of advice to his beloved daughter.

"Alyssa, the moon may trick you in the darkness, and the sun may blind you in the light, but let the stars illuminate your path, and you'll always find your way"

"D-dad, no..."

"Goodbye my daughter"

The doors of the house slammed shut, once again reminding Alyssa just how cruel this world really is.

Alyssa abruptly woke up in a cold sweat, staring at the morning sky. She sighed and gazed outside at the sun for a few moments before preparing for the day that awaited her. She quickly hopped in the shower, changed into a spare pair of clothes she brought with her, and tied her hair up into a ponytail. She briefly surveyed her surroundings, with her finger on her chin, looking around for anything she might have forgotten. Alyssa was about to walk out the door before stopping in her tracks.

"Duh, the schedule" she quietly muttered to herself. 

She grabbed the piece of paper and left her room, locking the door behind her. 

"Let's see...I think it's this building, right?" Alyssa asked herself while looking at the map of the campus.

She looked up from the document, her eyes darting around in an attempt to try to confirm her location. Silently, she nodded, assuring herself that she was in the right place. 

Alyssa slowly walked inside the building and was greeted by a massive hall, two sets of stairs, rows of wooden lockers that seemed to go on forever, but most notably, a plethora of students.

_Ugh, just as noisy as the mess hall_.

She headed for the stairs, not wanting any part of the countless conversations going on at the first floor. Her classroom was on the fifth floor, at the very top of the building. She made the trek all the way up and was met with a surprise when she turned her head to look out the window.

The view left her completely astonished. She could see the entire academy, but beyond that, so much more. There were tall mountains, flowing rivers, spacious lakes, and trees, _so many trees_ , all surrounding the area. She was simply stunned by the sheer beauty of it all.

_Bysteria has absolutely nothing like this_.

Alyssa had a massive smile plastered over her face now.

Feeling inspired, and for the first time, excited, about her new life, Alyssa finally walked towards through the two doors of the classroom.

_Heh, not nearly as big as those other doors_.

Just as she was about to turn the handle, she heard two people yelling, unable to quite make out what they were arguing about.

_Why is this school so damn loud all the time?_

Now annoyed, Alyssa opened the door to the classroom and was utterly shocked at what was transpiring. 

"Don't you DARE call me that again, or do I need to teach you a lesson right now?"

A quiver. An arrow. That bow. It was fully drawn. A student was aiming right at his classmate's head.


	2. A Declaration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay with this one. The holidays are a pretty crazy time so I took a break last Sunday and I needed one more day this week to iron out everything. I'm really happy with how this chapter came out. We're starting to dive more into the characters and lore of this world and I'm very excited to continue going forward with this series. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Alyssa stood in the doorway, not moving a single inch. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. This student was genuinely aiming an arrow right at his classmates' head. She looked around the room for a supervisor to break up this insanity but found none.

_They must be late_.

The student swiftly turned his head to look at Alyssa, not letting go of his grip on the bow even slightly. "What are you looking at, huh?" he yelled out to Alyssa.

_This dude has GOT to be joking_.

"I'm looking at you jackass, just like everyone else in this classroom. Who the hell do you think you are pointing a bow at your classmate?" Alyssa responded, mincing no words.

"Name's Grant Cornelio and I know _exactly_ what I'm doing. This guy should've thought about what he was saying first if he didn't want an arrow pointed at his noggin".

The other student scoffed. "I'm only telling you the trut-". 

"Is that really what you wanna be saying in your position, Jacob?" Grant retorted. The other student gritted his teeth and stopped talking.

"Listen, I don't know what the hell this guy said to you but enough is enough, the professor is probably going to be here any minute now. Just fucking let it go, man. Whatever you are trying to get out of this isn't worth it" Alyssa said, trying to reason with Grant.

Grant now grit his teeth in turn, knowing what Alyssa was saying was right. He reluctantly stuffed his arrow back in the quiver while putting his bow on his back. However, he wasn't going to let this conflict die that easily. "You and me Jacob, we're having a Deadeye Duel, today, after class. I'm not letting you squirm your way out of this".

Jacob smirked at this notion. "By all means, let's do it, it's your funeral... _Prince_ Cornelio".

"Why...you piece of fucking-".

Grant was interrupted when the doors opened yet again. The professor had finally arrived. Alyssa moved out of the way to let him pass. "Sorry class, I got caught up in some paperwork. Please, take your seats so we can swiftly begin".

Just as Alyssa and the rest of the class all sat down, the doors swung open once more. This time it was another student, a short girl with long, straight brown hair. She rushed into the classroom with a panicked look on her face. "Professor, I'm so sorry for being late...I-I must have overslept. I _promise_ I'll make it up to you sir" she meekly said.

The professor simply laughed. "Victoria, it's fine. I _am_ surprised to see that you of all people are late, but I just got in myself as well anyways. Just go sit down and let's get this lesson started". Victoria nodded and quietly sat down, Alyssa staring at her as she did.

_There's something about that girl I just can't put my finger on_.

"I've been made aware that we have a new student joining our class today. Before we start, Alyssa, would you like to briefly introduce herself?" asked the professor. She really didn't want to introduce herself, but she knew it would look bad to the class if she didn't.

Alyssa stood up. "Hey everyone, my name's Alyssa Ynova. I'm eighteen and was born and raised in Bysteria...so yeah, that's about it" she bluntly stated. 

"Hello Alyssa, I'm Professor Oleander, it's nice to meet you. May I just ask one more quick question? It's sort of a tradition here at the academy".

_Ugh, didn't this guy say he wanted to quickly begin class?_

"Sure, go ahead," Alyssa defeatedly said.

"Fantastic, so my question for you is this: what made you want to become an archer?". Alyssa immediately jolted and started to stare at the floor. She didn't know what about that question produced this reaction in her, but her body went into complete fight-or-flight mode. Thoughts and memories violently swarmed in her brain and she only felt one emotion: anger. Anger at the pettiness of the common man. Anger at her father's fate. Anger at just how cruel this world really is. 

Finally, she arrived at her answer. She looked up and stared at Professor Oleander right in his eyes. "Those wyverns...I'm going to wipe every _single_ one off the face of this damned planet".

The class turned deathly silent, while Alyssa was still seething hot with rage. After a few seconds, Alyssa finally snapped out of it. "Oh, uh...sorry everyone" Alyssa quietly said as she sat down in her seat. Utterly mortified she laid her head down on her desk.

_What just came over me...god I can't believe I did this on my first fucking day._

"Alright, well, let's start today's lesson now" Professor Oleander hesitantly said. Alyssa finally lifted her head from her desk and was pleasantly surprised. Grant was looking back at her, giving a big thumbs up. Alyssa hesitated but responded by smiling back at him.

_Man, what is up with that guy?_

"Today's class will be relatively brief. We're going to get out early to have more time for archery practice, which I'm sure you're all excited about. Anyways, I'm going to be going over Sinestran geography and conflicts with the time we have today" the professor proclaimed. Alyssa yawned. She didn't really have any interest in traditional classes, especially classes that served as a recap for the information she'd known all her life.

"As you are all aware, the continent of Sinestra is divided into three nations: Drazniak in the northwest, Bysteria in the northeast, and Valyrium, where we are, in the south. It has been this way since even ancient times, although some of that ancient history has, unfortunately, been lost to time. Sadly, may never know the full history of our great continent" Oleander lectured.

Alyssa groaned a bit. _Who the hell cares about this shit?_

"As for more pressing issues facing the land of Sinestra, the most obvious is between our sister nations, Drazniak and Bysteria".

Alyssa grit her teeth. She knew what was coming; she knew it all too well.

"Drazniak and Bysteria have been engaged in large-scale warfare for the past 104 years. In year 590, Drazniak's king claimed a Bysterian assassin had come for his life as well as the rest of the royal family. The validity of this claim is unknown, but it ignited underlying tensions between the nations" the professor stated.

_I really cannot take much more of this_. 

"There had been many land disputes between the neighboring nations, both desiring the other's resources. The alleged assassination was simply the spark that forced the two into this endless war. Now, Valyrium has continued to stay neutral throughout this long-drawn-out conflict, focusing primarily on the fight against the wyvern menace. Now I'll discuss-"

Alyssa could no longer pay attention. Just hearing about the Drazniak-Bysteria conflict made her blood boil. She drifted off, lost in thought, reflecting on the days of her life that were simple and devoid of conflict, days that were long gone now. Before she knew it, the bell rang and the class had ended. Getting up from her seat, she headed towards the archery field with the rest of the students, brimming with excitement and anticipation. Alyssa was more ready than ever to hone her skills with the bow. 

While she was deep in thought about the prospect of finally getting to wield a bow, Alyssa felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and was greeted by that short girl who was late to class today.

_Ah...what was her name again? Victoria, right?_

Before Alyssa could introduce herself, Victoria began to speak up.

"Hey I just wanted to say, I'm with you all the way, Alyssa. Let's exterminate all of the wyverns together and save Sinestra from certain doom, together" Victoria boldly stated. Alyssa was genuinely stunned upon hearing this. She thought for sure that the girl was the shy, reserved type, but that wasn't the impression she gave off now. No now Alyssa stared into her eyes and saw a deep, burning passion, unlike any she had ever seen.

Alyssa smiled and offered her hand. "Let's do it".

They shook hands and began to go their separate ways. As they were walking away to go practice, Victoria shouted to her.

"Good luck with practice Alyssa! I'm expecting incredible things from you!"

"You too!" Alyssa shouted back.

Victoria smirked at that notion. "Thanks, but I don't _really_ need the practice. Not nearly as much as you anyways". She managed to surprise Alyssa yet again.

_She's even got an arrogant side to her as well._

That got Alyssa to smile yet again. She might've just finally found her first friend at this academy.

At long last, she headed towards the archery range, getting a really good look at just how massive it actually was. There were a countless number of students honing their skills with the bow, preparing for the same thing she was. They could all band together in hopes of defeating the wyverns, and that got Alyssa excited. Just as she was about to begin her own practice, she heard a familiar voice yell out from across the entire field.

"JACOB, SHOW YOURSELF. YOU SAID YOU'D DUEL ME NOW SO LET'S GO" Grant yelled at the top of his lungs. 

_God, he's honestly so overdramatic._

"I'm right here, Prince. Let's get this over with, I have better things to do than to duel with skillless noble trash like yourself" Jacob said, intentionally aggravating Grant. Holding in his anger with every ounce of his body, he walked towards Jacob. 

"Alright, let's do this. Hey Ynova, get over here. I need you to referee this Deadeye Duel" Grant said, signaling Alyssa to come over. She simply stared at him dumbfounded.

"M-me?".

"You know any other Ynovas here? Yeah, you. Now get the hell over here".

Alyssa easily could've ignored his request, but something about that boy intrigued her to no end. She obliged and began to walk over. Alyssa had only the vaguest idea about what this was all about, but regardless, she needed to see how this conflict would end. 

_A Deadeye Duel, huh. Let's see how this goes._


End file.
